


Ghosts and Memories

by donquichotte



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M, FLUFF - i'm not joking, cheesy (especially the end), season 3-ish, yes a reunion fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-16
Updated: 2013-06-16
Packaged: 2017-12-15 03:25:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,846
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/844743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/donquichotte/pseuds/donquichotte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Martha finds something in the Doctor's coat pocket that might just lead to the Doctor finding something lost.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Transferred from ff.net with minor edits.

As Martha shifted the Doctor’s jacket off the breakfast table, a small, brightly coloured pebble fell out of a pocket. Grumbling a little at her friend’s messy habits, Martha bent to pick up the little rock. To her surprise (though, really, it being the Doctor’s coat, she should be prepared for anything and everything), it felt a little warm to her touch. She lifted the thing up to eye level for a better look and then immediately cringed back from a bright flash of light. When the spots stopped dancing in front of her eyes, Martha’s jaw dropped at the sight in front of her: the pebble had projected a hologram, roughly the size and shape of a TV screen about half a metre above her hand.

She must have some sound of astonishment because the Doctor looked up inquiringly from his book. The moment he caught sight of the hovering picture, his face closed down in that inscrutable way and, unable to help herself, Martha turned to examine the hologram.

It depicted, in the foreground, a laughing trio: a big-eared man with a buzz-cut and a leather jacket, a handsome younger man in a greatcoat and...

Martha felt herself pale and she sat down hard.

“How did – I mean, that, that’s not funny. It can’t be... How is...?”

The Doctor took in her incoherent query amusedly, though his cheer seemed slightly forced.

“Honestly Martha, you’ve seen the universe, and you’re flummoxed by a holographic souvenir? As it happens, that’s from Raxxon IV. We visited, oh, must be a year now in my timestream. That’s her, you know, Rose, I mean. With me and Captain Jack. It was her idea to take that picture.

“See, it’s like those booths in your malls, well sort of. You know, put in some coins and come out with set of pictures; Jack and Rose have, well, _had_ the other two. I’m surprised the projector’s still got power, actually.” He pulled out the sonic screwdriver to take some readings.

Martha, still shaken, had stopped listening somewhere in the middle.

“ _That’s_ Rose? It can’t be, just can’t. I’ve seen that woman before and there’s no way that’s your Rose.”

“Why not? You both lived in London during roughly the same time period. As they say, it’s a small world and –”

Martha was already shaking her head.

“No, it’s not like that. That’s not a real person; that’s my imaginary friend, from when I was a kid, I mean.”

The Doctor spluttered, his face contorted bizarrely in consternation and Martha struggled not to find him adorable.

“ _What_?”

Martha thought back to the companion of her youth, her brow furrowed a little. “She was a funny sort of imaginary friend. Most kids imagine real playmates, but she was more like a... a mentor. She never talked or anything but she was a great listener; I used to tell her everything. My parents’ divorce, bullying, boys...” Martha shook herself out of the memories. “I say ‘she’, but it’s really just a manifestation of my subconscious, right?”

Doctor ignored her desperately hopeful question and stared at the hologram.

“But that’s her? You’re sure, one hundred percent?”

Struck by the seriousness of his tone, Martha turned back to the image and stared into the face of the blonde woman, searching for any inconsistency. She found the same golden hair, the same thickly lined brown eyes, the same full mouth.

“I think so. I never saw her laughing though. She always seemed so sad...”

The Doctor, his expression bleak, rummaged in another pocket and pulled out a more conventional (by Martha’s standards) photograph. It showed the same girl, this time staring pensively past the camera with just a trace of wistfulness suffusing her features. Martha let out a small disbelieving gasp.

“Yes, that’s her. Absolutely. Unless she’s got a twin or something.”

“When did you stop seeing her?”

Martha blushed a little and looked away.

“Not ‘till I was about fifteen, I guess. I know it’s silly, but I was lonely a lot of the time and I guess I just couldn’t let go.” Martha paused and then continued a bit dreamily, “It’s weird, though, now that I think about it, I think I still see her sometimes, when I’m back home on Earth, I mean. She’s always just out of the corner of my eye, and when I turn around, she’s gone...”

Springing up suddenly (thereby making Martha jump), the Doctor all but ran to the console room and worked the controls almost frantically.

“Hold on Martha Jones; we’re headed for Earth.”


	2. Chapter 2

Martha stepped out of the TARDIS into her bedroom followed closely by the Doctor. He looked around eagerly and then turned to Martha.

“Where did you see her most often? Where would you go to find her?”

Martha stared at him. She didn’t quite know how to feel. Her imaginary childhood confidante turned out to be somehow connected to the Doctor’s missing Rose and now they were back on Earth searching for said imaginary friend, who, apparently, might not be quite so imaginary after all. And if they found Rose? Well, she knew how that would go: back to med school for Martha Jones while the Doctor and his girlfriend gallivanted around the Universe.

She tried to suppress the part of her that wanted to refuse to help.

“The park, I guess. I mean when I was really little; when I got older, I never talked to her in public.”

Flashing her that beautifully manic grin, the Doctor held open the door for her.

“Well, then, Martha Jones, let’s go to the park. I’d like to meet this ‘imaginary’ friend of yours.”

Ŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀ

They strolled over the grass side by side and Martha craned her head around, trying to catch a glimpse of the familiar blonde hair. No luck.

She tugged the Doctor’s arm. “Come on; let’s go over to the swings. They were my favourite.”

As they wandered over, it began to drizzle and then to full-out rain. The parents quickly gathered up their children and left, shielding their heads with arms, newspapers or coats.

Left alone with the Doctor in what was rapidly developing into a downpour, Martha shot her companion a dark look.

“It just had to rain, didn’t it?”

“Well, look on the bright side, now there’s nobody to see us acting loony, is there?” He answered her glare with a cheeky smile and shouted, “Rose! You there? Yoohoo!... Ugh, don’t like that one. Rose!”

Martha rolled her eyes at his antics and turned to look around for any trace of the woman. She stopped short, face to face with the image of Rose Tyler. The other woman seemed to be half-laughing, and half-crying, though no sound reached Martha’s ears, and her arms came up to wrap Martha in an intangible hug.

Painfully, Martha cleared her throat and called, “Doctor! She’s here.”

He was at her side in an instant.

“Where? I don’t see anyone.” His eyes darted around wildly and, seeing nothing, he grabbed Martha’s shoulders and asked desperately, “ _Where_?”

“Right there, Doctor, in front of me. She’s... now she’s trying to hug you.”

Eyes closed, the Doctor stood absolutely still, an expression of pain over his face. “I can’t see her.” His voice was hoarse. “I can’t sense her at all.” His head suddenly snapped up. “Martha! Could I maybe... would you let me link minds with you? Then I could see what you see, and we could help her. Please.”

Again facing a dilemma, Martha swallowed hard. She didn’t want the Doctor to see inside her head, to see and feel her infatuation and her jealousy. But that loneliness and heart break that she sometimes saw in the Doctor’s eyes, wouldn’t she give almost anything to see it disappear?

Martha nodded with only slight reluctance.

“Brilliant! Oh, Martha Jones, you’re amazing! Now, put anything you don’t want me to see behind a mental door and shut the door. I won’t look, so just keep that door closed. And...” He placed cool fingers on her temple and suddenly she was hyperaware. Every sense overloaded for a second before the sensations faded rapidly.

“That wasn’t supposed to happen, sorry.” The Doctor muttered and removed his fingers from her forehead. He turned away from her and then Martha felt every muscle in his body tense up.

“Rose?” He breathed, his voice slightly hoarse with an emotion that shot a spark of jealousy through Martha, and the other woman nodded, grinning. “Oh, Rose. I’ll, we’ll figure this out...Think! Oh, why would...unless –” He peered at her. “Ah ha!”

Martha jumped; Rose just grinned ecstatically up at him.

“This isn’t really Rose, well not exactly. It’s a psychic manifestation of her consciousness, which means that her brain, at least, and likely her entire physical form are in working order _and_ somewhere nearby: Rose doesn’t have enough psychic ability to project far.” He frowned suddenly. “But why would Martha be the only one to see the manifestation? Wait, wait, oh I know! Martha, you’re a bit unusual psychically speaking: see, your mind is _wide_ open. No shields at all; that’s why you got _my_ senses when we linked until I blocked them from you. Now, Rose isn’t strong enough to project past even the terribly rudimentary mental shields that most humans have, much less mine. Which is where you come in, Martha: I would guess that once Rose found someone who could see her, she stuck with you. She must have been so lonely. Oh, Rose I’m sorry.”

Rose smiled and shook her head dismissively. She mouthed some words, exaggeratedly and slowly.

_You’re here now, Doctor._

“We’ll fix this, Rose. I promise we’ll sort this out.” To Martha, he sounded almost desperate and her heart seemed to squeeze painfully. She was losing the Doctor.

Martha stole a look at the pair of them, staring at each other intently. The Doctor’s hands twitched and fluttered agitatedly, as if he didn’t know what to do with them.

“Almost like last time, eh?” He said softly with a weak chuckle and then frowned. “Except you can’t talk. I guess that means I have to. I, uh, never finished what I was going to say.” His hand came up to scratch his ear nervously. “You know, of course, but some things just need saying and so, Rose Tyler...”

And then Rose, eyes bright with emotion, a smile beginning to spread across her lips, flickered and vanished.

“Rose? Rose! Oh, why can’t I ever manage to say it!?” He spun to face Martha, his expression one of determination. “Right, we are going to find her body _right now._ Then we are going to wake her up and I am going to finally tell her.”

Martha didn’t dare ask what he was so desperate to tell the blonde; she had a feeling she knew, anyways.

“Now,” continued the Doctor in his brightest I’m-going-to-save-the-world-and-have-fun-doing-so voice, “her body will be somewhere nearby. Somewhere at least your age and relatively undisturbed.”

“Doctor?” Martha spoke up a little timidly; the Doctor got a bit snappish when in a thinking mood. “The whole neighbourhood got redone about five years ago, so most of the buildings are new. The only thing that escaped renovation is the school, which, I suppose shows peoples’ priorities...”

“Show me.”

Nodding, Martha set off and they walked in uncharacteristic silence.


	3. Chapter 3

Standing in front of the large structure, Martha and the Doctor looked it up and down.

“There’s no nook or cranny safe from children, cheeky devils that they are, so where would a body be hidden that no one would find it?”

Reaching back to childhood memories, Martha spoke slowly. “There was an old gardener’s shed, ‘round the back. We never went there, used to tell ghost stories about it. Said the Big Bad Wolf lived there.”

The Doctor stared at her. “The Big... Bad Wolf?”

“Yeah, funny sort of ghost story, really.”

“That’s Rose. She’s the Bad Wolf.”

“The what –?” But the Doctor had already taken off at a sprint towards the back of the large building.

Martha followed him to the old weather-worn, ivy-covered shed. A quick prod from the sonic screwdriver and the padlocked door creaked open at the Doctor’s touch, tearing away tendrils of ivy.

Ducking into the dark dampness of the shed, Martha choked a little from the smell of decay. In contrast, the Doctor inhaled deeply through his nose, seemingly unaffected by the odour.

“Hmm, lots of fermentation going on here, good. Well, good for the soil and the worms. What else? Ugh some rather nasty chemicals, some rusted iron and oh ho ho! I smell something alien: metal, non-terrestrial origin. Have you got a torch?”

Martha dug in a pocket obediently and came up with a small penlight.

“Haven’t you got one? I mean, you’re the one with bottomless pockets.”

“But it’s so much easier to borrow yours and with a quick adjustment...” He held the screwdriver to the torch and it suddenly gave off a brilliant stream of light, throwing the interior of the shed into a sharp relief of light and shadow.

Water-stained walls met a grimy floor cluttered with dirt-covered rubbish, except for a large and utterly incongruous shiny metal rectangle lying in one corner.

“Well, that certainly doesn’t belong here.”

Hunkering down beside coffin-like pod, the Doctor ran his screwdriver up and down its length. He frowned suddenly, “That’s odd; that’s very odd. I’ve never seen anything like this technology, never. I should know about something this advanced.” He brightened suddenly. “But Rose is definitely in there. If we could just open it up...”

Martha moved to examine the pod: it appeared completely smooth, with no visible cracks or irregularities. “But, Doctor, _how_?”

“Well, there’s an odd sort of spatial-temporal field in there that’s linked with a reversed loop crystal matrix, but the buffer system seems to have failed and caused the system to overload; the life support is the major drain, of course, which leaves next to nothing for the locking mechanism.”

Martha waited.

“Essentially, I need to boost the power supply in order to open the pod without disengaging the life support. Unfortunately, there’s no longer a buffer system so any power I give it risks overloading the whole thing. Actually, I’m not sure my sonic is compatible...”

Lifting the screwdriver to the pod he scanned it again. “Hmmm, I think if I just...” The sonic whirred and the pod cracked open with a loud hiss and copious amounts of white smoke.

Coughs wracking her body, Martha waved away the billowing smoke and leaned over to see a pale, gaunt, sickly version of Rose Tyler lying naked amongst a tangle of wires and machinery. Actually, now that Martha looked a bit more closely...

She shivered, chills running over her. “Doctor, are those wires...?”

Grimly he answered, “Yes. She’s been wired into the system, a part of the circuit. Wait...No, no no no. That would be insane, well actually brilliant, but...” Another brandish of the screwdriver. “I don’t believe it! This thing was more damaged that I thought, but it somehow tapped into her nervous system for power. That’s incredible! And that’s why the image disappeared; the device needed more power!”

He peered down at the unconscious girl, apparently only now noticing her state of undress. Blushing a little (Martha fought the urge to giggle), he hunched over the pod.

“If I configure the matrix just so...” He pulled at a pair of loose wires. “There we go.”

Rose’s eyes flew open.

“Doctor...?”

“I’m here, Rose. Just stay calm; we’ll get you out in a minute.”

He fiddled a bit more and the wires embedded in Rose’s flesh slid out, leaving a multitude of puncture marks. As Martha watched, the Doctor helped the other girl to sit up and wrapped his jacket around her.

“Rose Tyler I love you. I never managed to tell you and then you were gone before I could and I _do_. I do –” The words came out rushed and frantic, but all the more heartfelt for it. Creeping slowly over her face, Rose’s smile lit up the room.

“I love you too. Forever, yeah?” she interrupted. Her voice was a little hoarse and very quiet, but it caused a grin to steal over the Doctor’s face like a sunrise. He bent his head to quickly press his lips to hers before leaping to his feet and sweeping her into his arms.

Martha trailed after the Doctor as he strode, still carrying Rose, towards the TARDIS. The rain was beginning to taper off, but the streets were still mostly empty of pedestrians. She found that, to her surprise, she wasn’t devastated. It stung, but, well, she'd always known hadn't a hope. This was almost like closure, actually; maybe now she was ready to move on with her own life.

The moment they swept into the TARDIS, the Doctor was babbling almost incomprehensibly to (at) Rose about recent events and seemed insistent on dragging her off to the infirmary for a complete check up. Recognizing the expression on Rose’s face, Martha spoke up.

“Doctor, if Rose hasn’t fallen over yet, I think she’ll last for a little while longer. What she really needs is to get into some warm, dry, _comfortable_ clothes. Then, she needs to eat some real food, yeah? _Then,_ if she feels up to it, you can examine her. Come on, Rose.”

Rose threw a grateful look to Martha and, after kissing the Doctor quickly, moved stiffly to her side. The two girls set off down the hall way.

In Rose’s old room, handily moved closer by the TARDIS, Rose changed into a pair of worn flannel pyjama bottoms patterned with stars and a large black men’s jumper.

“I’m glad he found you,” said Rose abruptly, breaking the awkward silence. “I never wanted him to be alone. I mean, yeah, I’m jealous, but better you than no one, you know?”

Martha smiled. “Thanks. I was jealous of you,” she admitted. “He was so moody about it all and he told me straight out ‘You won’t replace Rose’ and I, well, I was already half in love with him and...”

“I understand. Now,” Rose added with an impish grin, “I’ve gotta go find my alien boyfriend and give him a proper snog.”

Martha laughed. “I’ll give you a few minutes alone before I interrupt, but you really should eat and then get checked over. Trust me; I’m _almost_ a doctor.”

Ŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀ

When Martha walked (somewhat cautiously) into the console room, it was to find the Doctor sitting at a food-laden table with Rose on his lap, wrestling playfully with her in an attempt to feed the blonde despite all her protests.

Martha huffed in annoyance. Called himself a doctor!

“Doctor! Not too much: we need to allow her stomach to readjust to food.”

He looked sheepishly at her, and then pouted. “It’s not all my fault; the TARDIS supplied most of it. And I was just trying to be helpful.”

Rose sighed and laid her head on his shoulder. Momentarily distracted, the Doctor turned to look down at her with a fond smile. Once again, Martha was struck by their...rightness.

Remembering the reason she had intruded in the first place, Martha spoke up. “If you’re done eating, Rose, we _should_ do that medical check. Let this big idiot prove he’s a doctor.”

“Oi,” protested the Doctor, “I’ve saved the world – the universe, even! – _and_ both your lives many times over! This is the thanks I get! See if I ever do it again. And – Rose!” He frowned at her. “Where did you get that jumper? That’s one of mine, isn’t it? When did yousteal that? Rose –?”

Martha (trying to figure out why the Doctor would feel so possessive of a jumper that wouldn’t fit him properly anyways) and Rose, giggling together at his indignation, led the way to the infirmary.

Ŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀŀ

In the TARDIS’ medical room, tidy and sterile unlike anywhere else in the time ship, the Doctor puttered around, operating esoteric machinery and glowering at the results.

Martha, unable to make heads or tails of the alien readings, contented herself with making sure Rose was as comfortable as possible. Using a damp cloth laid out obligingly on a counter, the medical student helped sponge away the blood dried onto Rose’s limbs where the wires had slid out. Then, Martha frowned.

There were no scabs, no puncture marks, nothing marring the skin under the layer of blood. She checked again and met Rose’s eyes.

“Doctor, come look at this.” When he was by her side she continued, “Remember how those wires were inside her? Look; there are no marks, not even on her neck where that big one was. She couldn’t have healed that well that quickly.”

Rose interrupted the Doctor before he could say anything. “Before you start, I think that there’s a story I need to tell. I’m surprised you haven’t already asked, actually, because my being here, well it’s supposed to be impossible, right? I’ve been thinking about what you said, and I think I’ve mostly figured out what happened.”


	4. Chapter 4

When I first got trapped, I thought my life was over.

It wasn’t that bad, of course, not really. I was just holding onto my memories so hard that I couldn’t appreciate what I had.

Things with Pete were a little weird at first, ‘cause, you know, alternate dad and all. But he tried and it all worked out. He was the one who really created the alternate Torchwood from the Preachers and other groups like them. He practically dragged me into a job there. Guess he figured I needed something to do and I sure as hell wasn’t gonna go back to working in a shop, or, I dunno, take up knitting or something.

Then, Mum found out she was pregnant; God, that was madness, but it was good for us. The baby seemed to mean that we could have a new life there. A new family.

Then there was that day at Bad Wolf Bay. It was hard for me to go back to my life after seeing you like that. But there was Mum and Pete, and then the baby. Little Tony. He’s a darling. And there was work.

Working for Torchwood is nothing like traveling with you, Doctor. They have rules, written rules, and protocols and a chain of command and they like to shoot first and ask later. But I liked it well enough once I got settled in. You shoulda seen Mickey, though. He took to it all like a duck to water and he and Jake are thick as thieves.

We were mostly taking care of all the Cybus branches, but then we started meeting aliens. Some friendly, some neutral, some hostile. Turns out the Time Lords did exist in that universe, but there was never a Doctor. But there was a Time War, and they all died.

There was a different dominant race by our time. The Arcadians. Seems they survived the War and were evolving to fill the niche left behind by the Time Lords. It was this group of scientists that came to Earth about a year and a half after Bad Wolf Bay. They were trying to make a comprehensive catalogue of species or something. Kinda stupid if you ask me: mastery over time and space and they spend their time cooped up in a dull spaceship, peering at bacteria so they can write a paper. Anyways, they picked me up right off. Apparently, I made their scanners go absolutely wild. I had tons of Void stuff on me, and so much time travel radiation I practically glowed and some other thing they never could figure out. Some weird energy traces, I dunno, but I created a whole new branch of Arcadian study!

Because I was so unusual, they wanted to keep me around for a while, so they used these sort of – near as I can figure out, they’re like those nanogenes. The Chula ones Jack had? They put them in my bloodstream to keep me young and healthy. Kept me unconscious most of the time, and a good thing, too; I would’ve gone barking mad.

So, for years and years, they studied and then they finally woke me up. The head scientist, he personally assured me that they would put me in a stasis pod that would transport me back to where and when I belonged and he said it would also clear away the nanogene-things so that I could age and sicken like a normal human. No harm done, right?

Now I’m guessing that they thought the pod would take me back to London around the time I left, but the technology in the pod, it’s a low-level AI, by the way, interpreted “Where I belonged" to be my home universe.

I remember when we crossed that first time, the TARDIS was all... broken and dead, so I think that the pod was damaged by the crossing and malfunctioned. The buffer system crashed and wiped out almost all the other systems. I landed in 1986, the year I was born, so maybe the navigation was still a little alive, or maybe I just got lucky. I dunno. In any case, the nanogenes seem to still be working, so the pod didn’t manage that either. And here I am, back where I belong. With you, Doctor.


	5. Chapter 5

As Rose told her story, Martha watched the blonde fall into memories. It was so odd to think of this woman as a real living person after knowing her for so many years as a phantasm, and even odder to reconcile this normal human to the image of Rose that she had built up. Well, her imaginings of some sort of super-human goddess were admittedly ridiculous; still, the Doctor had been so reverent when talking of her.

A small movement caught her eye – the Doctor had tensed suddenly as Rose was recounting how some species of aliens had picked her up. Without pausing in her narration, without, Martha thought, even being aware of her actions, Rose leaned her head on his shoulder and grasped his hand. He settled down somewhat, but didn’t lose his vaguely heartbroken expression.

Rose finished her story, leaving Martha staring. She broke in, without letting the Doctor respond.

“And you’re _okay_? I mean, they kidnapped you and experimented on you and...you’re okay?!”

Rose gave a little shrug. “I don’t remember almost any of the time I spent with the Arcadians, and what I do remember, wasn’t particularly frightening. They were sort of...calm and peaceful. And, yeah, I’m kinda annoyed that they just stole me, but, well, I’ve had about twenty years to get over it.”

“Still,” Martha answered worriedly, “maybe you should talk to psychiatrist or something.”

“I’m fine, honestly. I’m most worried about my family, back in the other world – as far as they know, I just vanished without a trace. Mum’ll go spare.” She sighed heavily. “No help for it, though –I guess I just have to hope I never come across the Arcadians again.”

“That won’t happen.” That was the Doctor, speaking up after an unusually long silence.

“Why?”

“Because they’re dead. I watchedthem die, watched their planet burn and _I couldn’t save them._ The Fall of Arcadia – the second most horrific of my experiences during the Time War.”

“Oh, Doctor.” Rose melted into the man’s arms. “I’m sorry,” she mumbled into his chest.

“Rose.” He breathed her name as if it were a lifeline and clutched her body to his desperately. “Rose.”

Somewhere in the room, a machine let out a melodic jingle and the Doctor released her to peer at the screen, pulling out his glasses.

“Oh, you,” Rose chuckled fondly, “you and those specs. I missed you.”

“Rose Tyler, I missed you too. But just _look_ at these numbers: you’re healthy as a horse. Well, I say ‘horse’, but maybe ‘Trisopteran gonan’ is more accurate. They hardly ever sicken, you know, and they’re remarkably sturdy, too, so injuries are also – aaaaand I’m getting off topic aren’t I?”

“Yes.” Rose and Martha chimed in together and shared a grin.

“Well, these readings indicate that you’re in perfect health. Which, given what you’ve said about nanogenes, rather makes sense.” Pulling out the sonic screwdriver, he ran it over her body. “Yep, you’re humming with industrious little nanogenes.” He frowned at the display. “Actually, they seem to be almost sentient. And – well look at that: they have life cycle. They’re symbiotes!”

Nervously, Rose bit her lip. “But they’re not going to, I dunno, take over my brain or something, right?”

“They shouldn’t. They’re still partly mechanical, and they’ve been programmed to keep your body in good condition. This is ingenious: they replace your cells perfectly, and then feed off the dead matter. It’s the perfect system, really.”

“So, does that mean I’ll live longer and stuff?”

“Well, assuming that these entities continue to survive in you, I’d say that’s likely. They’re not actually directly dependent on your life, so they could possibly even bring you back from a fatal injury, if they’re quick.”

It was strange, really, that only hours ago she had been worried about being replaced, about being kicked out. It was almost like...like she'd been responsible for looking after this daft old alien and now she could hand that duty off to someone better. Someone _perfect._ And it wasn't that she didn't care about the Doctor, or that she wasn't still feeling twinges of unrequited feelings, but...a break sounded really pretty good. Martha cleared her throat and the pair jumped slightly. “I’m going to head to bed. And in the morning, Doctor, can you take me home? I think it’s best if I leave, at least for a little while.”

Immediately, Rose and the Doctor broke out into protests that warmed Martha’s heart, though she waved them off.

“I’ve loved travelling with you, Doctor, but I, well, I want my own life, too. I want to finish medical school, get married someday, maybe have kids. And now seems like a good time to start. Well, the morning anyways: right now I’m exhausted. ‘Night.”

“Good night, Martha.”

oO*Oo

Martha held firm the next morning, surer of her decision than ever. She was taking hold of her life and it felt brilliant.

She shed a few tears when she left, pressed her phone on Rose, and instructions to visit on the Doctor.

Then, smiling through her tears, she watched the blue box disappear and walked off humming.


	6. Chapter 6

“So Rose, where to?”

“Could we, I mean, I was thinking, back when I first got trapped, and I know you said that he was rebuilding the Earth, but could we maybe go find Jack? Even just to say hi?”

With a sigh, the Doctor turned to face her. “My Rose, always asking the hard questions. I have to tell you about what happened on the Gamestation.” He ran his hands through his hair. “ I... I left Jack behind.”

“Doctor! Why would you do that!”

“Look, how much do you remember? Gold light and some music?”

“Yeah.”

“You were – oh, Rose, you were a goddess. You had the power of the universe at your fingertips and you just wanted Jack to be alive. And now he will be. Forever.”

“What do you mean forever?!” Rose’s voice rose sharply.

“He’s a Fact. Full stop. He will _always_ live. And that’s wrong, or it feels wrong to me. And I was scared and confused and I am a coward and I will always run. So I left.”

“You lied to me,” Rose accused, “you made me think he chose to stay behind.”

“I know. But, if you want, I’ll take you to find him. I owe him that and you know I can’t deny you almost anything.”

“Please. Even if I just get to say good bye.”

“Right then. Off to track down a randy immortal ex-Time Agent.”

oO*Oo

“Cardiff! Why Cardiff? Every time! And what is Jack doing in the 21th century, anyways?”

“Let’s just go, Doctor.” Bouncing with impatience, Rose flew to the doors and pushed them open. “Let’s go find Jack.”

oO*Oo

They wandered through the city, following the sonic screwdriver, or at least that was the Doctor’s claim. Rose rather suspected they were following the Doctor’s whimsy. Seeing a lovely little dress in a shop window, she diverted her course to get a better look, keeping one eye on her companion.

“Rose?” The voice was incredulous, and rough with emotion. She spun.

“Jack! We were looking for you!” She caught her old friend in a giant hug, which he quickly turned into a deep kiss.

“Jack!” Laughing, Rose tried to sound stern.

“Rose, I thought you were dead, after the Cyberman invasion. You and your mother were on the list of the dead.”

“Long story.”

Suddenly, Jack craned his head around. “Is the Doctor here? You said ‘we’ didn’t you?”

“Yeah, he looks different now.” She pointed, and Jack whistled.

“Well, I can’t say I don’t like this model.”

“Yeah.” Rose sighed in agreement. “Come on, let’s go.”

Jack’s face was suddenly hard. “Rose, he left me behind. I don’t want to have a _chat._ ”

“He told me. Jack, he’s sorry. Just, hear him out okay?”

“For you Rose, anything.”

oO*Oo

Though things were a little tense between the two men at first, but they soon fell back into the slightly competitive friendship they’d been cultivating. However, the Doctor was far less tolerant of Jack’s flirtations when it came to Rose, which was saying something. Apparently receiving the message, Jack backed off a little, enough that, if the Doctor’s jealousy wasn’t completely squashed, at least the edge of his temper was blunted.

Several hours passed and all three decided to call it a day, but there was one matter that needed to be resolved.

“Jack. You’re temporally wrong, but now I’ve seen you again, I think I could get used to that, the TARDIS, too. Do you want to come along?”

Jack’s grin widened to fill his whole face. “I thought you’d never ask. I just have some small things to take care of, and then we’ll go. Give me two hours and don’t you dare leave me behind!”

oO*Oo

True to his word, Jack returned within two hours, bringing with him, among other things, a large jar containing a severed hand.

“Oh, Jack! That’s awful. “ Grimacing, Rose turned away.

“It’s his, you know.” Jack pointed to the Doctor, grinning.

“Christmas!” gasped Rose.”That sword fight.”

“A sword fight? Sorry I missed that.”

“Yep,” the Doctor broke in, “I saved the world in a pair of striped men’s pyjamas. With a satsuma, no less.”

“Right. You definitely need to tell me that story. Especially as I’m peripherally involved, seeing as I found your hand.”

The story unfolded, and the three companions laughed together as they took off into time...and space!

 


End file.
